Two Huntsman students, Doug Deakin and Matt Brown, were named among the 25 winners of the Top 25 Student- Founded Businesses in Utah. The awards were given by the nonprofit “Utah Student 25” at the Utah Student 25 Awards Gala March 14 at the University of Utah.

Doug Deakin, founder of Organic Farms, a company that distributes organic grain products, placed number 7, while Matt Brown, founder of Grass Masters, a landscaping company, placed number 19.

The Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the Huntsman School, led by executive director Mike Glauser, has focused on creating the academic and experiential opportunities necessary to prepare students to create and launch viable businesses.

“This is the first time we’ve had two students place in the top 25,” he said. “They both worked very hard to prepare for this competition, and I am so proud of both of them.”

The “Utah Student 25” is a non-profit Utah corporation that administers an awards program to recognize top student-founded businesses in the state of Utah. The goal of the organization is to encourage growth and entrepreneurial activities in the state.